Another thing, can I take this long term or would I need to pulse it? say 2 months on 1 month off kind of thing?

Once it starts to work for you, stay on it for a while.

After a time, 6mos to a year depending on your response, you can try to come off. But as a rule supplements are filling a niche, and are not a drug. It is possible to heal up and not need them, or it is possible you will always need it because something in your own metabolism is failing with age. There is no way to tell, except for going off when you are in good shape and seeing what happens then.

Don't stop too soon, or you won't be able to tell much.

You could stop the carnitine mix one for a bit, and only take the r-lipoic... see how you respond to it by itself. Keep the carnitine mix and reintroduce it later. You will be used to the r-lipoic then, and not get the side effects, so much.

Thanks.

How long could I expect to see benefits from the r-lipoic?

There is a fellow here who had benefits in 2 days!
(Dr. Smith).

I'd give it at least 2 weeks, or a month, just to be sure.